Based on the popular light novel series of
the same name, the anime adaptation of Full Metal Panic made its
debut on Japanese screens in 2002.

A clever fusion of mecha, military
intrigue, drama and high school romance, the series revolves around
popular 16-year-old student Kaname Chidori. Unbeknownst to Kaname, a
group of terrorists secretly covet the young lass and are plotting to
abduct her, believing she possesses the rare and arcane abilities of
‘the Whispered’ – abilities they intend on putting to nefarious use at
the earliest possible opportunity.

Sousake Sagara is a teenage sergeant sent
to infiltrate Kaname’s high school and protect her from the clutches of
any underworld rogues. He doesn’t exactly blend in seamlessly with his
fellow students however, and the constant friction between the pair and
their complex, difficult relationship gives the series much of its
dramatic impetus.

As the narrative unfolds the terrorists’
reason for wanting Kaname are slowly exposited, Sousake’s true mission
is revealed and an evil nemesis, without which no series of this ilk
would be complete, rises up to challenge Sousake and Kaname with his
army of mechanoid killers. The intermittent flashes of comedy and
romance become less frequent and the story takes a much more sinister
tone as, finally, the young pair find themselves fighting for their
lives against a seemingly unassailable opponent.

Full Metal Panic rises above the sum
of its admittedly dissimilar parts and produces a rich and surprisingly
cogent viewing experience. The action for the most part bubbles along
at a nice pace, the relationships are left intentionally ambiguous and
the plot expands nicely over time. The three-disc Blu-ray set is a
handsomely appointed one, comprising all 24 episodes of the first season
and several extras, and although the series suffers from the occasional
lapse into repetition (always a danger with a series of this length) it
ultimately proves a nuanced and deftly engaging adaptation of the Shoji
Gatoh source material.

Audio & Video

The series is almost a decade old and shows
its age in places, even on the up-scaled format. There are no artefacts
to speak of but the image is comparatively soft throughout. The
colourification is strong, however, and overall the visuals hold up
fairly well – just don’t expect the perfection of some of Madman’s
recent HD outings, such as Akira or Samurai Kings.

On the audio front both a Japanese TrueHD
2.0 and an English TrueHD 5.1 surround soundtrack are on offer. I won’t
indulge in my usual rant about the wisdom of an inferior mix in the
anime’s native tongue, especially since ‘inferior’ is a relative term in
this instance. Both are clear and solid, with the Japanese having the
superior voicework, as ever, and the English track slightly enhanced
dynamic range.

Extras

A 23-minute interview with author Shouji
Gatoh, who penned the stories on which the series is based; some fairly
novel Japanese piracy warnings, original TV spots, textless openings and
closings and six trailers.